There's a rather small community of chip collectors.
However, there are a few collectors who have been
collecting for over 10 years now who have put togather
pretty vast collections of literally thousands of chips.
These collectors have pretty much seen everything.
Its pretty rare now that something shows up that these
collectors have never seen before and the fact that
they have never seen it, by definiton makes it rare.
It would be the same as if suddenly someone found
two Intelec bit slice 3002 computers dated 1975 in a closet or something.
Sure, there might could be more, but if they were common, you guys would
have already seen one.
As far as the color, chip collectors refer to that color
chip as "purple". If you look at it next to a normal
"gray" CerDIP, you can see the difference. Besides,
it would not have mattered had it been black. The fact
is, it's not the white/gold color of a normal Intel
C8080A. The printing on the chip is also somewhat different. My guess is
it's a late run C8080A that was
put in the same package they used for some of the later
C8085AH's.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sellam Ismail" <foo_at_siconic.com>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 1:23 AM
Subject: Re: Intel C8080A chip brings $565 on EBAY
> On Sun, 18 Nov 2001, John Galt wrote:
>
> > Well, it was one of only two known rare purple Intel C8080A's
>
> Do you care to explain this?
>
> It certainly doesn't look purple in the photo.
>
> How do you know it is only one of two? Known by whom? Where do they come
> from? If it is purple, why? What's the significance?
>
> > If you have any old Intel 4004, 8008, 4040, or 8080 microprocessors
> > laying around, I want them.
>
> Sorry, I'm keeping mine. If I wanted them to end up on eBay I'd put them
> there myself.
>
> Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer
Festival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
> International Man of Intrigue and Danger
http://www.vintage.org
>
>
Received on Mon Nov 19 2001 - 06:34:44 GMT